Paul Davis

Rotherham United will look to being in a striker during the January transfer window and have already begun talks in the hope they can keep their four new loan signings for longer.

Ahead of tomorrow’s home clash with Nottingham Forest, boss Steve Evans revealed that a forward was the club’s top target.

Luciano Becchio returns to full training on Monday after injury and the Norwich City could be an option if he proves his fitness before his loan spell ends next month, but the Millers are also exploring other avenues.

“Our chief exec’s had a conversation with a couple of clubs and he’s also been speaking to Norwich,” Evans revealed. “Up until a certain day in January Luciano’s our player, although he’s getting his treatment elsewhere. There are other strikers we’re very keen to bring here but, of course, that has to fit in.”

Becchio was returning to peak fitness and had scored two goals in three Championship matches when he fractured his heel.

Evans added: “When we got him fit, he produced end product. He starts full training on Monday at Norwich.

“After three or four days there will be an assessment made as to whether he’s fully and wholly ready to perhaps become a Miller again until January.

“We need to see him come through that three or four days’ training because, as much as they can run on a treadmill, as much as they can work privately with a physiotherapist and the rehabilitation team at Norwich City, it’s what they do when they go in with the main group.”

Meanwhile, Evans said Rotherham were already exploring the possibility of extending the loan spells of Tom Lawrence, Reece James, Emmanuel Ledesma and Scott Wootton all of which are due to expire in January.

“There’s dialogue going on between us and the parent clubs of the boys we’ve brought in now to see to see where the plan is for January,” he said.

“We’d be foolish to wake up in the middle of January when these loan deals are expiring and then say ‘what are we going to do?’.

“We also have other players that we have identified, similiar to the lads we have brought in, who can come in with the same qualities and those same ingredients to come in and fit seamlessly straight in.”

Buoyed by the performance in the 0-0 draw at Cardiff City last week, Evans wants more of the same tomorrow but is calling on his side to apply the finishing touches to their slick approach work as the Christmas period looms.

“Obviously, off of Santa we’d like a goal or two,” he said.

“We may tweak it a little bit in terms of the shape within that team but the style of play will be the same,” Evans daid.

“We’re in this little period of evolution where we’re becoming a Championship club compared to a club that can muscle people out in League One and League Two.

“We have to have more ball retention and what comes with that is a responsibility to do that in the right areas. And there is a responsibility at the end of that to have an end product. That was the only thing that was missing last week.”